Thursday, September 8, 2011
Photo of the Week: September 8, 2011
Cluster Supervisors, Site Team Leaders, and AmeriCorps Program Associates Getting Ready for the Start of the New Program Year
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Helen Garretson’s Encore Career: Deputy Director of Generations Incorporated
For 25 years, Helen Garretson was the Director of Social Work for Children’s Hospital in Boston, overseeing a department of 60 social workers and managing a $2 million budget. She left in 1999 and began her search for a different kind of social work, one that would allow her to have a deeper relationship with community members and families.
Shortly after leaving Children’s Hospital, Helen became the Program Manager at the Bird Street Community Center in Dorchester. At the time, Mary Gunn was the Center’s Executive Director. “I was so impressed by Helen’s thoughtful approach and her eagerness to know the families,” Mary recalls. ”She was only working part-time, but running circles around those of us who were full time!”
Helen joined Generations Incorporated in 2004, uniting once again with Gunn. Helen’s experience, her understanding of the big picture as well as her appreciation of detail, and her capacity for process and planning are just some of the many skills she brings.
She is also a fantastic mentor to the younger professionals as well as the older adults who work and/or serve with the organization.
Katie Klister, Director of Volunteer Management, states how lucky she is to have Helen as a supervisor. “Helen models open communication, honesty, trust, collaboration, and reminds us to have fun while working.” She goes on, ” She has taught me invaluable leadership and team building skills. Helen’s empathy, willingness to listen, and fairness are three things that make her a wonderful mentor. ”
On July 1, 2010, Helen was named Deputy Director, and added an extra day to her work week. Because of the many changes in the schools because of reform efforts in Boston, Helen is leading the effort for our programs to be as well-aligned as possible to school needs. She has helped to bring the organization to a new level, with sharper programming and a shift to more sustainable operations which engages older adults as leaders. “At age 70, when most of us are thinking of slowing down, Helen is taking on more and more responsibility,” says Gunn.
“What a privilege for me that my Encore Career has turned out to be so meaningful and one in which I have learned so much,” says Helen. ”I am greatly inspired by the work and devotion of our volunteers as well as by the incredible staff who make it fun to come to work. “
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Photo of the Week: September 30, 2010
Executive Director Mary Gunn & New Deputy Director Helen Garrettson
Generations Incorporated would like to congratulate and welcome Helen Garrettson as our new Deputy Director. Helen has been with the organization for seven years.
Friday, July 23, 2010
We’re hiring: Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator (Part-time)
Position Description
Overview:
Generations Incorporated unites older adults and youth in service to strengthen individuals and communities. We are working toward the day when older adults and youth are widely regarded as resources to one another and widespread intergenerational relationships lead to substantially stronger communities. Currently, we strive to achieve this goal through our focus on children’s literacy. We are one of the largest and most effective affiliates of Experience Corps®, a national, research-tested program in 22 cities in America.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Welcome to Our New Website!
Hey all! Welcome to our shiny new website! For the past couple of months Amelia, myself, and some Taproot folks have worked painstakingly on this. We’re very happy with the outcome.
From my perspective, as the Technology *VISTA at Generations Inc., the website has been a fun process. I’ve learned far more about the organization than I could have ever wished for, how to represent a non-profit, and how pull information from everyone together to work on one project. It feels incredibly accomplishing to have a finished product to show for the work.
The best thing about this website is the ability to be updated easily by people who do not have extensive web development experience. That translates into an organic website that is constantly evolving to reflect the Generations Incorporated environment. Some other nifty features include…
- The blogs have now been integrated into the website. This includes the AmeriCorps blog, Mary’s blog, and the brand new In the News Blog. You get all your GI goodness in one click.
- A dynamic calendar for exciting GI event info.
- A contact form so that you can let us know how much you like our new website on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 is absolutely, positively lovin’ it. 10 means you would take a bullet for the website.
- A more simple, clearer interface.
This website is possible through the following people:
- The Taproot Foundation team: Dave, Ronnie, Lauren, Mary Beth, Esther, and Jeff
- Generations Inc Personnel who reviewed the website ad nauseam: Mary, Tara, Katie Kelley, and others
- Amelia, for putting the majority of the content in
We always appreciate feedback. If there are changes that you think would be appropriate, then don’t hesitate to contact us about it! As mentioned before, the site will be changing constantly, so tune back often.
Thanks and enjoy,
Karthik
